Arkansas sees another surge in revenue in MayLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Another month of strong tax collections in every major category is keeping the state's revenue ahead of expectations and last year's numbers, Arkansas finance officials said Tuesday The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration said net available revenue in May totaled $335.9 million, which is $20.5 million above the same month last year and $40.3 million above forecast. The state's revenue for the fiscal year that b...

Lawmaker who opposed primary change leaves GOPLITTLE ROCK (AP) — An Arkansas lawmaker who split with top Republicans over the state moving its primaries next year from May to March said Tuesday he's left the GOP and is now an independent. Rep. Nate Bell of Mena announced the decision days after Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed into law the primary change proposal that Bell had opposed during last week's special legislative session. The Polk County clerk's office said that Bell change...

Judge expected to rule soon in information-request caseLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A judge soon will decide whether a housing agency's leader failed to comply with an open-records law over claims he didn't provide documents requested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Court filings show Judge Alice Lightle is expected to make a ruling Thursday after both sides filed briefs of their arguments Monday in Little Rock District Court, the newspaper reported. Executive director Rodney Forte of the Metropolitan Hou...

Judge upholds ban on cities' deals with chambers of commerceLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A Pulaski County circuit judge has upheld a ruling that banned Little Rock and North Little Rock from paying their chambers of commerce for economic development services. Judge Mackie Pierce ruled Monday that the cities' contracts with their commerce chambers violate the state Constitution, which he said prohibits municipalities from paying private companies without receiving anything in return. Several community activists h...

Southwest Steel to expand Newport plant, add 100 jobsNEWPORT (AP) — Southwest Steel Processing announced Monday that it plans an $18 million expansion of its plant in Newport and to add 100 jobs at the facility. "The expansion at Southwest Steel Processing of a second forging line will significantly increase our ability to provide high-quality, competitively price forged steel parts to our customers," Ken Copeland, president of Southwest Steel Processing, said in a news release following the ann...

Republican Committee calls for treasurer's resignationLITTLE ROCK (AP) — The Jefferson County Republican Committee is calling for the resignation of Republican Arkansas Treasurer Dennis Milligan. In a letter dated Sunday and sent to Milligan, Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Republican Party Chairman Doyle Webb, committee Chairman Peter Smykla writes that the committee is expressing its disappointment in Milligan's "betrayal of our confidence and trust." The letter does not cite a specific incident that r...

Election officials stress over plan for new voting machinesLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Secretary of State Mark Martin is considering replacing voting machines statewide by the March primary election, causing worry among Pulaski County election officials who think the deadline might be too tight. Director of elections Bryan Poe for the Pulaski County Election Commission said in a letter that implementing such a change so close to an election year like 2016 could lead to confusion among voters and election offic...

Wife found fit for trial in death of park ranger husbandLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A Roland woman has been found fit to stand trial for murder in the shooting death of her husband — who was an Arkansas park ranger and a retired state police lieutenant. A Pulaski County judge ruled Friday that Pamela Digman, 56, is competent for trial in the January 2014 shooting death of Jerry Digman. Pulaski County deputies found Jerry Digman shot to death in the couple's home after Pamela Digman called 911 and said she s...

Judge refuses to dismiss lawsuit over gay marriage licensesLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A Pulaski County judge has rejected a request to dismiss a lawsuit seeking to force officials to recognize Arkansas marriage licenses issued to same-sex couples. Circuit Judge Wendell Griffen rejected the state's request Friday. The licenses were issued for six days in May 2014 after Arkansas' bans on gay marriage was struck down as unconstitutional. The state Supreme Court stayed the ruling while it's on appeal and state la...

Governor OKs bond deal for proposed defense projectLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Legislation that Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed into law Friday authorizes an $87 million incentive package to help lure a major defense project to Arkansas. The governor called legislators back to Little Rock for a special session that wrapped up Thursday, listing the potential incentive package as the top agenda item. The incentive proposal calls for issuing bonds if Lockheed Martin is the successful bidder for a military vehi...

Governor OKs bills for DWI fix, primary moveLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson has finished signing bills passed during the special session. Hutchinson on Friday finished signing bills passed during the three-day session and commended a compromise on a bill to move the state's primaries from May to March for just next year's election. The original bill to permanently move the primaries hit a road block until a compromise was reached to move the primary for just one year. Hu...

Arkansas Court upholds man's conviction in infant's deathLITTLE ROCK (AP) — The Arkansas Supreme Court rejected the appeal Thursday of an El Dorado man convicted of capital murder in the death of his girlfriend's infant daughter. The ruling upholds a Union County jury's conviction of Desmond Evans and his sentence of life without parole. Evans argued that the lower court failed to instruct the jury on lesser offenses of first-degree or second-degree murder. He also argued in his appeal that the lowe...

Fired Arkansas Treasurer's Office employee files lawsuitLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A former employee fired from the Arkansas treasurer's office filed a lawsuit Thursday against the treasurer's chief of staff, accusing him of defamation. David Singer, who was fired from his position as outreach manager for the treasurer's office in late April, filed the lawsuit in Pulaski County Circuit Court. The lawsuit was filed against Chief of Staff Jim Harris, as an individual not as a state employee. Grant Wallace, a...

Lawmakers OK incentive package for defense projectLITTLE ROCK (AP) — An $87 million incentive package aimed at luring a military vehicle assembly plant to south Arkansas easily won final approval Thursday, as lawmakers wrapped up a three-day special legislative session focused on the defense contract. The state Senate approved the measure 30-2, while the House approved an identical bill on a 90-0 vote. The plan calls for issuing bonds if Lockheed Martin wins a defense contract to assemble a n...

Arkansas justices reject new arguments in gay marriage case LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The Arkansas Supreme Court says it won't hear new arguments over whether to legalize gay marriage, but will leave a ban in place until it rules. In unsigned orders Thursday, justices refused to lift a year-old stay. They also won't hear new arguments even though two of its seven members joined the court this year. A Pulaski County judge rejected the gay-marriage ban last year and until a stay was issued, more than 500 ...

Accuracy of crematorium permit questionedAn opponent of a proposed crematorium near Center Valley Elementary School has even more questions after reviewing a permit granted by a state agency. Scott Steuber has opposed Center Valley Gardens and Humphrey Family Properties LLC because he said he has children who will attend the nearby school and has not been told by a state agency that the crematorium will be safe. He has more questions after he discovered the Arkansas Department of Env...

Legislators endorse $87 million incentive packageLITTLE ROCK (AP) — An $87 million incentive package intended to bring a military vehicle assembly plant to south Arkansas easily won initial approval from lawmakers Wednesday, with a handful of Republicans opposing the move as the wrong way to attract business to the state. The Arkansas House voted 96-0 in favor of the plan to issue bonds if Lockheed Martin wins a defense contract to assemble a new tactical vehicle that will replace the Humvee...

Abortion ban based on heartbeat rejected by appeals courtLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A federal appeals court struck down one of the nation's toughest abortion restrictions on Wednesday, agreeing with a lower court that ruled an Arkansas law unconstitutionally burdens women by banning abortions after the 12th week of pregnancy if a doctor can detect a fetal heartbeat. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with doctors who challenged the law, ruling that abortion restrictions must be based on a fetus' ab...